Persona: Twilight
by Anime and Gaming Guy
Summary: "I...I am your deepest fears embodied into physical form. I am the dark side that you suppress. Cause, I know all about you..." Takes place in the town of Kawakami. Saika Morita is a Kawakami High transfer student, who must cope with her problems, and her powers. Rated T. OC heavy.
1. Kawakami High

**Kawakami High**

 **Disclaimer: The Persona Series is all owned by Atlas and their associates.  
Author's Note: So, I love the persona series. I think the universe is really ripe for new content. Also, the city of Kawakami can actually be found on the Island of Honshu in Japan.**

 **Also, For this story, I would like to keep it interactive too. If you have any suggestions for new personas, writing errors, etc. Lemme know in the review section!**

 **Finally, I actually have to study whatever lesson I have for classes in this chapter, so prepare to educate yourselves on history, math and whatever else happens!**

* * *

 _Monday, March 1st 2015_

 _Morning_

The time was just now reaching eight A.M. Several boys and girls all rushed through the gates of Kawakami High to avoid being late. The bell sounded throughout the campus grounds as well as the halls.

"Attention Kawakami Students! The current time is Eight A.M. Please be in your classrooms within the next five minutes." roared the announcement overhead. It repeated to make sure the students understood what was going on.

Within the halls, several students gossiped about the latest happenings over the weeks after the National Foundation Day week. A group of students were standing around the doorway of homeroom 206.

"So, looks like we all got the same professor again this year." said the blonde-haired boy.

"Yeah. Hopefully, this won't be to much of a drag. At least we got some new students in this year too, even an exchange student." replied the dark-haired girl.

"What do you think about all of this, Yuuto?" asked the boy to the other boy named Yuuto, who was looking off in the distance.

"Ugh, don't mind him. He's probably thinking of ways to make the students feel welcome, even though we own this campus." said the girl.

Yuuto stopped staring into the distance and smiled at the two with him.

"Don't worry about it! I think they'll find a way to fit in just fine." said Yuuto, scratching his dark-brown, natural, bedhead.

The three continued talking until an older man walked in front of them. His formal attire pointed him out to be the professor.

"You three again? Yuuto, I hope you're keeping Karin and Shin out of trouble." said the professor, putting his hand on Yuuto's shoulder. Karin and Shin were clearly annoyed, but Yuuto sheepishly smiled at him.

"I try!" he replied. The other two students sighed it off.

"You know we aren't that much trouble Mr. Hiyo" said Shin.

"Yeah. I'm just hoping the new students don't try and start anything." chimed Karin.

"Yuuto is alright by me. But I'll be keeping an eye on the two of you." said Mr. Hiyo before walking past them. "Come on, find your seats."

The three, followed by the other remaining students all found their seats. Out of the twenty desks in the class, Yuuto sat in the middle. Karin and Shin sat on the left and right desks next to his. The other students just picked desks randomly, leaving a few in the back row open.

"Alright Class..." began Mr. Hiyo, writing his name on the big green chalkboard behind him. "...My name is Naro Hiyo. This year, I'll be your homeroom teacher. Also, we'll be learning about History in this class."

"Morning, Mr. Hiyo!" said the entire class. It was clear just how well-liked Naro was on campus.

"Good morning! It's a good thing you all are so full of energy! Cause, I would like for you all to spread that energy to the new transfer student!"

"We actually have a transfer student in the class?" asked Yuuto.

"We sure do, Yuu." replied Naro, calling him by his nickname. "Okay! You can come in now."

Everyone directed their attention to the door to the left of the chalkboard. The door opened slowly and in walked a girl.

Her jet-black hair was in a ponytail with a bang over her eye. She kept her hands in her white hoodie pockets that she wore over her black shirt, along with her blue jeans and white shoes.

As she stood next to Naro, everyone in the classroom stared into the myster of her hazel eyes, wanting to intentionally know more about her.

"Okay, why don't you introduce yourself?" said Naro.

"Yes sir..." she replied, before turning her attention to the class. "...My name is Saika. Saika Morita. I'm from the Capital city of Saga, from the Saga Prefecture in Kyushu."

"Ahh, That's just southeast of the island of Honshu." said Naro. "Why don't you go find a seat back there?"

He pointed to the back row of the classroom, noting how many empty seats there were. Saika nodded and made her way to the middle of the back row. Before she got there, she was stopped by Yuuto.

"Hey! Stick around after class, okay?" said Yuuto.

"Why?" she replied, startling him.

"Well...honestly, I just didn't want you to get lost. Kawakami High is large, so I wanted to show you around." he replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Thanks." she replied, heading to the back of the room.

"Yuuto, she seems weird. You should leave her alone." whispered Karin to him.

"You're crazy, Karin. She only seems that way cause no one hasn't really had time to know her." replied Yuuto.

"Alright you two, stay quiet now." said Naro, getting their attention. "Now, we're going to go over the classroom's housekeeping rules, as well as what's needed for the future. Pay attention and don't doze off. That means you, Shin."

"Duuuuuude!"

* * *

After School

 _Saika's POV:_

The professor dismissed us and exited the classroom. Honestly, I was pretty glad. The people here kept staring at me and I hated it.

As I started to stand from my desk, I was greeted by that boy from earlier who offered to show me around campus.

"Hey. You still up for the grand tour?" asked the boy.

"Sure." I replied as I stood from my desk. I grabbed my backpack, and hoisted it to my back.

"Oh, by the way. My name is Yuuto. Yuuto Tanaka!" said Yuuto, offering his hand to shake mine.

"Saika Morita." I replied, not shaking his hand. He nervously laughed and withdrew his hand.

"Alright then. Shall we?" he said, leading the way.

He showed me all around campus. There were several other classrooms, clubs, sports rooms, the lunchroom (which I already knew), the theater, and the courtyard in the back field.

Him showing me around the whole campus took me at least half an hour to do. Luckily, I was within walking distance from my cousin's home.

We finally stopped in front of the campus's gates. All of the other students had already gone home, barring the various sports teams.

"So, what do you think of our campus so far, Saika?" asked Yuuto.

"It's nice, I suppose." I replied, looking down.

Something gave me a nervous feeling, so I looked back at him.

"I'm sorry, Saika. I didn't mean to bore you." he said, reaching for my shoulder.

His hand touched me. Another man's hand was on my shoulder.

"Don't touch me." I said sharply, jerking away from him.

"I..."

"Sorry. It's...nothing." I replied, looking away from him.

"Yo, Yuuto!"

We were joined by two students. I recognized them as the two who sat next to Yuuto in class earlier today. Shin and Karin.

"Hey! What's up?" asked Yuuto.

"Yo man, why did you ditch practice? The coach isn't gonna be happy about this." asked Shin. He then looked at me and sneered. I don't think Yuuto noticed though.

"Don't worry about it! I'll explain it to him. He'll be fine without me for one day." Yuuto replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Yuuto, we should be going. We got more..." began Karin, looking straight at me for the next part. "... _important people_ to be with."

"Whatever." I said, starting to walk away. I stopped and turned back around to look at Yuuto.

"...Thank you."

* * *

Evening

Saika's POV:

"Hey Cousin! How was your first day of Kawakami High?" asked Nanami while she was watching TV. I removed my shoes before walking on the floor.

"It wasn't...well...I don't particularly _hate_ it. Not yet, anyways." I replied. My cousin visibly sighed before motioning for me to sit next to her, so I did.

"Saika, how are you feeling? Everything alright?" she asked me. She was able to read me like a book. Especially considering...

"Yuuto Tanaka. Who is he?" I replied.

"Ohh, Yuuto?" she began. "Well, he's the captain of Kawakami High's track team. He's also one of the nicest people on that campus. My friend's son is on the track team too. He says he's one hell of a guy to look up to."

I pondered her words.

"Why? Did he make a move on you?! Spill it!" she said, shaking my shoulders for extra effect. Lauhingly, I pushed her off.

"No, no, no. It's just...I kinda snapped at him when he touched me." I said. Her expression changed.

"Ohh...Saika, I'm sorry. I know how hard it must be for you to cope with that. Yuuto didn't mean anything by it. He's not that kind of boy."

I looked her straight in the eye.

"I'm sorry...I'm just having a hard time believing that."

"I understand. If you ever need me for anything, baby cousin, I'm right here for you." replied Nanami, bringing me in for a hug. I just laid in her arms for a while.

Some time passed and she let me go.

"Alright, cousin. You should go get relaxed. I'll have food made by the time you come back downstairs so you can eat and get some rest."

"Thank you, Nanami." I replied, standing up and heading upstairs.

"Saika." she said, stopping me at the foot of the stairs. "There are many people who don't wish to sleep. They are afraid of nightmares. Then...there's some who don't wanna wake up for the same reason. Those times are in the past for you now, Saika. I love you. Remember that."

"I will. I love you too, cousin."

* * *

 _Midnight_

 _Saika's POV:_

 _Everything is so hazy...what is this...I can only see blue...where am I? Is this a dream?_

" _Welcome. To the Velvet Room."_

 _My vision is becoming less blurred. When did I get in this chair? Who is that man with the long nose across from me? Who is that woman standing next to him?_

" _Where am I? Who are you?"_

 _"You needn't be alarmed. I have summoned you in your dreams. You are safely asleep in the real world."_

" _Huh? I don't understand..."_

 _"I know there will be much you don't understand right now, but it will all make sense in the future. My name is Igor, and this is my assistant, Jasmine."_

 _"It's a pleasure to meet you, Saika."_

" _Wait, how do you know my name?"_

 _"Like I said, there's a lot you won't understand. First, allow me to show you this."_

 _Igor unfolds a closed book in front of me on the desk without touching it. The page it lands on contains a paragraph, along with a spot to sign underneath it. The paragraph reads..._

" _...I chooseth this faith of mine own free will..."_

 _"Yes. This is a contract, if you will. By signing this, the residents of the Velvet room will assist you on your journey. You're currently facing a hardship from your past, aren't you?"_

" _Tch...how did you know about-"_

 _"That's our job here. To assist all of our guests with their journey."_

" _...Okay."_

 _I sign the contract with my name. As soon as I do and set the pen down, the book closes itself then vanishes._

" _What now?"_

 _"Excellent. Now, I can begin explaining some concepts to you. This, as you recall me saying earlier, is the velvet room. It's a place that exists between dream, and reality. Mind and matter."_

 _I looked over the room closer. It was entirely a dark shade of blue, but I was able to make out some of the surroundings. It looked strangely familiar to something...I wanted to forget._

 _"The Velvet Room often takes the shape of our guest's psyche. Something about them that signifies an important moment of their journey. Exactly what part of it, however, is a mystery."_

" _Okay, that explains this feeling...so, you said you help your guests. How exactly do you do that?"_

 _"I believe that, Saika, is a matter for another time. We're almost out of time tonight so we'll be returning you shortly to your world."_

" _What? How can you tell that?"_

 _"Time here passes differently than the real world. Now, keep a hold of this."_

 _Within a small blue flash of light, a velvet key appeared before me, hovering in the air. I slowly grabbed it and, as soon as I did, it vanished._

 _"For now, all I ask, is that you remember your contract. We'll reference it more later on. Once things start to not make sense in your world, we'll summon you again."_

" _Once things start to not make sense?"_

 _"Yes. After that moment, we'll feel it easier to explain in greater detail to you. Until we meet again, Saika."_

 _"Have a good night's sleep, Saika."_

* * *

 **Fun fact: Yuuto Tanaka has been in track for the past 5 years of his life.**

 **See you all next time, as we dive deeper into the world!**


	2. Mind and Matter

**Mind and Matter**

 **AN: Hello again! So, it was brought up by a reviewer (Thanks BTW) that the timeline, as far as dates go, is inaccurate.**  
 **This was done intentionally. Reason being, I wanted to take some of the realism away and keep it as a fantasy. Or did I? (I did.)**

 **Also, I'll be doing this one weekly, while the RWBY story I got up get's done every couple days or so. Reason being, that one is actually finished. I'm still writing this one.**

* * *

 _Tuesday, March 2_ _nd_ _2015_

 _Early Morning_

 _Saika's POV:_

I jolted up. I frantically looked around my room. Yeah, I was still in my own bed. In which case, what was that dream last night? Velvet Room? Existing between dreams and reality? And how did he know about me and my past?

"Cousin! Are you awake? Breakfast is ready for you!" shouted Nanami from downstairs.

"Uh, yeah! I'll be down in a sec!" I replied, getting out of bed. I really had to shake that dream off. That's all it was anyways.

I got changed from my spagetti strapped shirt and shorts to my everyday wear. I quickly tied my hair into a ponytail and left my bang hanging. I freshened myself up and then, headed downstairs.

"Man, you look out of it. Had a bad dream or something?" asked Nanami, sitting at the table, already eating.

"I...guess you could say that." I replied, loving the aroma of the breakfast she made for me. I loved the way she made her eggs, especially.

"So, ready for day two of school?" she asked me, mouth full of food.

"Can you swallow first?" I replied before taking a bite of my own food. She threw a pack of salt at me before swallowing her food.

"Whenever you're ready, I already set your bag by your shoes at the door. "

"Thank you." I replied after swallowing. "And to answer your question, I...kinda am. I just wanna see how it's gonna go, if I'm being completely honest with you."

"That's my girl! Now, hurry up. It's seven already."

* * *

 _Morning_

 _Saika's POV:_

I was walking along the sidewalk, heading to school. I took in the town's country vibe. It was a little chilly today, and yesterday. And the day before that. Probably cause of the town's elevation.

Then, while I was walking, a small dog walked up beside me. I stopped to look at him. This must be one of those Kawakami-Ken dogs I read about before coming here. It looked like a wolf with a dog's face, but it was so cute.

"Hey there." I said, crouching down to pet him. "Are you lost, boy? Do you know where you're going?"

It whined, as if saying it was indeed lost.

"Hmm...I know what."

I reached inside of my hoodie's pocket and pulled out the granola bar I was saving for later and opened it. I tore a piece of it off and held it out in my hand.

"You hungry boy? Want this?"

First, it sniffed at it before eating it happily.

"Listen. I got to go to school now, okay? Would you be here when I get back? I'll help you find your home."

It barked as if agreeing with me, then it moved itself to a nearby hole in the wall beside me and laid down inside it.

"Okay. I'll see you later."

* * *

 _During School_

 _Saika's POV:_

"...And that started one of Japan's golden ages. Once so many of Japan's kingdoms and tribes became unified, they established a government, nominally controlled by a single emperor. This started an imperial dynasty, which is still in effect to this very day."

I wrote down every bit of information I deemed relevant. Yuuto also wrote down information. A lot of them really weren't paying attention though, like Shin and Karin.

"Hey. Shin, you're gonna be the first one asking questions like, 'Mr. Hiyo, we didn't go over that', so straighten up."

"Duuuuuude!"

"Anyways, moving on...you know what, lets see if any of you actually studied over your vacation. Saika, this question is something you don't have to answer. But for the rest of you, What period of time lasted until 1185 and was considered one of Japan's golden ages? Raise your hand once you got the answer."

No one raised their hand.

"...See, that's what you all get for playing to much Starcraft over your vacation. This information will be on the test some weeks down the line, so I suggest you write the answer down. The correct answer..."

I raised my hand.

"Huh? Saika, you still wish to attempt it? Alright, stand up and let's see what you got."

I stood from my desk, with the eyes of everyone else in class on me. Some whispered things I couldn't make out. Some only watched in anticipation.

"...The Heian Period. It's considered one of Japan's Golden ages. This one is regarded for original Japanese culture. It ran from 794 to 1185."

Naro stood there for a moment, then smiled.

"Impressive. How is it that miss Saika, an exchange student, studied her history and the rest of you who've been here for over a year, didn't manage that?"

"Wow! Good job, Saika!" said Yuuto from in front of me. That was the only compliment I got out of the class today. The rest of them were snickering things about me like, 'she cheated', or 'she must be a nerd'.

"Nonetheless, good job Saika. You can take your seat now."

As I did, I had a weird feeling that what little charm I had increased this day.

* * *

 _Lunchtime_

I exited the cafeteria doors to try and go to the bathroom. Before I could start walking, I noticed Yuuto coming up to me.

"Yo, Saika! That was really awesome how you just went all encyclopedia in class today."

"Thanks Yuuto."

"You can just call me Yuu. That's my nickname around here anyways. I noticed how it seems like you're like a sore thumb on campus. I don't have practice today, and Shin and Karin are going to stay for after school tutoring today. I wanna go try coffee at the new Shang Lin shop that opened in town. Wanna go?"

"Uhh...did you just insult me and _then_ ask me to hang with you?" I replied, crossing my arms.

"Huh? No, no, no! I didn't mean it that way!" he replied, scratching the back of his head.

As soon as I was about to decline him, I remembered the words that my cousin said about him. Yuuto doesn't have a bad bone in his body and he's well liked by everyone. I would've decided to go, but I then thought about the little dog I promised to help today.

"I'd go with you, Yuuto. But, I have a friend I promised to help. He's lost and I wanna help find his home."

"Ohh! In that case, I'll go with you then!" he replied, smiling and giving me a thumbs up.

"Yuuto..." I began. I was going to tell him to not come with me, but... "...Alright. We can go together."

"Alright! See you at the front gate after school!"

With that, he walked off. Good lord, what did I get myself into?

* * *

 _Afternoon_

 _Saika's POV:_

"Hello class! I am your math teacher, Kamina Sturgowitz. As you can tell by my name, I'm not originally from Japan. I moved here from Russia, but I learned how to speak Japanese fluently before I came here."

"Hi, Ms. Sturgowitz!" said the rest of the class. It surprised me we were still in the same homeroom though. I guess they just change teachers during lunch, I don't know.

"Thanks Class! It was brought to my attention by Mr. Hiyo that we have an exchange student in this homeroom. Would you stand please?"

I stood from my desk.

"Ah. So, you're miss Saika Morita then?" she asked, which I nodded to. "I'm pleased to meet another foreigner to Kawakami! Let's make this the most successful year of our lives, okay?"

"Yes mam." I replied. For some reason, I really liked her.

She motioned for me to sit down, and I did.

"Now class, today we won't be starting any subjects. Instead, I wanna take the time to get everyone in here acquainted with one another. I'm a math teacher, but I understand how important having friends are. Considering you're all going to be seeing each other for a whole year, now's a good time to start those social links!"

Social links? What the heck are those?

"So, everyone who's sitting on an odd row. Look to the person to your left. That will be your partner for today!"

I was on an odd numbered row, so I looked to my left. The person was a red-headed girl, wearing a pair of glasses, sitting in the desk next to the wall. She looked to be my same height too.

I was going to move to the desk next to her, but she moved to me instead first.

"Hi Saika! You're the talk of the class lately as miss encyclopedia!" said the girl.

"Great." I replied sarcastically.

"Relax! It'll be alright! My name is Asuka Hayashi. Charmed!"

She offered a handshake and I took it.

"So, how was home like?" she asked me. Remembering about it brought a slight anger to me, which she did notice.

"I'd rather not talk about it." I replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"I know what you were trying to do. It's just...some things that happened there...I'd rather forget about them." I replied, softening my tone. She looked apologetically at me.

"Well, if there's anything I can do for you at all to help you there, lemme know."

"Thanks Asuka. Lets see now..." I began, trying to think of something to answer her question without getting angry. "...Saga was really large. Despite it's size though, it was super packed. I'm talking, no elbow room kind of packed."

"Geez. Were you comfortable like that?"

"Heck no. I can't count how many times I was late for anything cause of how crowded the streets were. Here though, it feels much better to walk around freely."

"Like a breeze, huh?" she replied to which, I found myself nodding to. I don't even realize what she meant. It just felt natural.

"So, Asuka, what about you? Were you always from around here?" I asked her.

"Yes. My parents grow some of the lettuce that the town is known for. That's our family trade."

"I read about that somewhere. Also, about some river here..."

"Ohh, you're talking about the Chikuma River. It's the longest river in Japan. Every year, this school has a festival dedicated to it. People set up all sorts of games and contests around the riverbed. Its a way of showing our pride about it."

"Oh. It's like a historical landmark?" I asked. She nodded.

"It's not even something widely known, so naturally we brag about it. That all the Chikuma Festival actually is."

Asuka and I spent a while talking about random things about one another. I learned she was in the archery club. I also learned she strongly likes to read and dislikes bugs.

While we were talking, the bell rang. I was actually enjoying the conversation with her too.

"Man, time flew by huh? Do you have a cell phone Saika?" she asked me. I handed it to her and she put her number in it.

"Text or call me sometime! We definitely need to hang out when I'm not at practice. I gotta go there on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

"Definitely. See you later, Asuka!"

"Au revior!"

"Was that...frence?" I asked her.

"Yeah. I'm forced to learn it, but that phrase always stuck with me. So, au revior!"

As she stood from her desk and left, I silently smiled at myself. Right after, I heard the sound of glass shattering. I looked around, but didn't see any.

 _ **Thou art I, and I am thou.**_

What the hell? Who's talking to me?

 _ **Thou hast established a new bond...thou shalt be blessed.**_

A new bond? Wait...was this what...no way, not my dream. Igor's words rang in my head, about explaining it to me when it didn't make sense. All of a sudden, I couldn't wait to go to sleep tonight.

* * *

 _After School_

 _Saika's POV:_

I met Yuuto at the gate and he came with me to the sidewalk that I took to school this morning. In the same hole he slept in earlier, was the dog I befriended before.

"Ohh, this is your friend?" he asked me. The dog woke up and ran out of the hole, jumping on my leg. I crouched down to pet him as he tried to lick my face.

"Yeah. This is...well, I don't know his name. He was here alone when I was on my way to school this morning."

"Hmm...lemme see him, if you don't mind."

I picked the dog up and handed him to Yuuto. He inspected the dog's collar and saw a little piece of paper inside of it. He pulled it out and handed the dog back to me and unfolded it.

"A note? What does it say?" I asked him.

"...To whomever finds him. I am unable to sufficiently support him. If you find Koma, please. Take care of him, or see that he finds himself in the capable hands of a good owner."

"He was abandoned?" I asked.

"It seems like it. You wanted to find him a home, right?" he asked, to which I nodded. Although, where would I...hold on.

"...Maybe if I ask my cousin..." I thought out loud. Koma turned it's head upwards and snuck a lick on my face, startling me and making Yuuto laugh.

"Yeah, he seems to really like you Saika." replied Yuuto.

"Alright, well, I'm going to be going home now." I said, turning around to leave. Before I did, Yuuto offered me a handshake again.

I still didn't feel comfortable enough, touching a guy's hand yet.

"Sorry, Yuuto. Not yet." I said, walking away.

* * *

 _Evening_

 _Saika's POV:_

"So, after the two of you found that note, you brought him home to ask me if you can keep him?" Nanami asked me.

"Yeah." I replied. "I know it's strange, but I really want to help him. I know how it is, feeling abandoned and hopeless...please, Nanami?"

"Man, right in the feels." she said. "Aww, fine. He can stay here."

"Thank you so much cousin!" I replied, almost with too much glee. Kumo, who was behind me, ran out and tackled Nanami's leg.

"Woah now! Don't run me over Kumo!" she said, bending over to pet him. He rolled over on his stomach, letting Nanami scratch him.

"He's definitely a cutie. I'll give him that." said Nanami.

"Yeah. Oh, also, look at this!"

I unlocked my phone and showed her Asuka's number.

"Gasp?! You made a friend? _You?!_ The worlds about to freeze over." she said, rubbing my head. "I'm super proud of you cousin."

"Thanks. I'm trying to make a friend so I don't keep bugging you on Sundays."

"Looks like you made two!" she said, pointing at Kumo.

I guess she was right. I did make two friends. I should learn more about Kumo one day.

* * *

 _Late Night_

 _My vision is hazy again...is this the dream from before again? If so, then in a moment, I should be hearing..._

 _"Ah, miss Saika! Welcome, to the Velvet Room."_

 _Is this a really lucrative dream sequence or something? It actually is the same dream as before._

 _"You'll recall me saying I would explain a bit more. Earlier today, do you remember hearing a voice in your head?"_

" _Yes. What was that anyway?"_

 _"Think of it as a notification, similar to the ones you get on your cell phone. It tells you whenever you created a new bond, and the strength level of the bonds you create. Some bonds need a bit more...persuasion before you can create them, in comparison to others."_

" _And what do these bonds have that are special, besides gaining friends?"_

 _"They allow you to call upon a great power. The power of a blessing, to be precise."_

" _Blessing? What is that, like a super power or something?"_

 _"Something of the sort. But for now, we'll leave the explanation of that for a later time. For now, we leave you with...a warning."_

" _A warning? Am I in danger?"_

 _"Soon, you will be. You will have to decide if you want to be torn down by your past, or move forward from it. In a literal sense, it could eventually kill you if you allow it. The strength of your bonds will assist you in that time."_

" _Torn down by my past? You mean..."_

 _"Yes The very thing you want to shoulder away will resurface again. However, when it does, you won't understand why it's happening, or how it's happening. After you face your ordeal, if you're triumphant, we will call upon you again."_

 _"Take care of yourself until then, Saika."_

* * *

 **Fun Fact:** **Saika was on the honor roll at her previous school before she came to Kawakami.**


	3. Social Links

**Social Links**

* * *

 _Wednesday, March 3rd 2015_

 _Early Morning_

 _Saika's POV:_

I opened my eyes and groggily looked out of the blinds. It was morning again, right after that dream, like it was last time.

So, clearly it's more than just a coincidence. That place really is the Velvet Room. There's still so many question I wanna ask that man or his assistant. For now, let's just focus on what he told me last night.

I was supposed to be in danger soon? By who? What's coming after me? I'm sure it's no one who've I associated with so far. Asuka doesn't seem like the type. Neither does Yuuto. The other students in our homeroom...yeah they may be rude, but they don't seem like killers either.

"Saika! Come on already! Don't make this a habit of being lazy, or I'll have Kumo yank the covers off you every morning." yelled Nanami from downstairs.

"Y-yes mam!" I replied, rushing out of bed and getting ready for school. Even though she's just my older cousin, she treats me like her own child. However...I actually love her like my own mom.

I began to head downstairs. When I got down, Kumo ran up to me and jumped up on his hind legs. I bent down and patted him, which he enjoyed. I heard keys jingling so I looked up and noticed Nanami was walking past me.

"Leaving early today?" I asked her. She stopped and nodded at me.

"Called in early for work today. Apparently, there's been new details uncovered about a recent string of crimes in the past. Man, the life of a detective sometimes."

"Crimes from the past?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it. I'll talk with you later this evening about it. Your breakfast is already made for you, and I left you a spare set of keys inside your bag. Just, be sure to lock up while you're gone and make sure Kumo has food and water inside of his room."

"Okay, cousin." I replied.

"You know, he's really well-trained. I set a litterbox in his room upstairs late last night. When I went this morning to check on him, it wasn't a single waste outside of the litterbox."

"Huh...maybe that was thanks to his last owner."

"True that." she said, before turning back around and heading towards the door. "Take care today, cousin! Much love!"

With that, Nanami left. You could hear her car cranking up and her leaving shortly after that.

Instead of eating at the table, I grabbed the plate of pancakes she made for me and sat in the living room. Kumo sat next to me and I turned the tv on. It was already on the news station, so I assumed that's what Nanami was watching last.

"...Today in Kawakami, police reports about the recent string of incidents that took place over two weeks ago revealed new details about the crimes. Maybe a similar pattern? More on that story later today..."

"Huh? Is this what Nanami was talking about?" I said to myself before I started eating. I heard Kumo whine, so I gave him one of the pancakes. He barked happily and ate it without wasting any bit of it.

"Kumo, were you trained by your last owner?" I asked him. He looked at me and barked happily.

"Do you miss him or her?"

He growled. That let me know something must have went wrong.

Now that I think about it, Kumo's note said the owner couldn't support him. If Kawakami-Ken dogs are the city's treasure, why couldn't the owner just ask the city for help? No...something isn't right here.

"Kumo...did your previous owner do something to you before you were abandoned?"

Kumo looked at me. I could see the sad look in his eyes, like he wanted to cry. That settles it. Someone did something to Kumo.

"I'm sorry, boy." I said, patting his head. He leaned into my hand while I pat him. "One day, I'll find out what happened to you and correct that mistake. You're a good dog."

He barked happily and jumped down from the couch we sat on and returned upstairs. I really felt like I learned something about Kumo. On top of that, I felt a faint bond forming with him.

Then, a familiar sound of glass shattering rang in my head.

 _ **Thou art I, and I am Thou. Thou hast established a new bond. Thou shalt be blessed.**_

"A bond with Kumo...I think I'll like that." I said, finishing my pancakes.

I took the dish to the sink and headed towards the door. I grabbed my shoes and bag, put them on, and took my leave for the day after making sure Kumo had food and water out.

* * *

 _Morning_

 _Saika's POV:_

While I was walking towards school, Asuka ran up to me. I was rather happy to see her, too.

"Hey, Saika! How've you been?" asked Asuka in her usual chirpy manner.

"I've been okay. I forgot to tell you, I've adopted a dog recently. His name is Kumo."

"Kumo, huh? That's a nice name. What kind of dog is he?" she asked.

"A Kawakami-Ken."

"Seriously? Those things are worth a small fortune! Yeah, they're our treasure. But, to actually own one? Man, who's night did you have to make to get one of those?"

"Wow, seriously Asuka?"

Our small talk continued all the way to the campus. At the front gate, we saw a bunch of students gathered around, and a lot of yelling was going on.

"What in the world is going on up there? Come on, Saika!" said Asuka, grabbing my hand and literally dragging me with her.

Once we got close enough, we saw what was going on. Two students got into a fight. Neither one looked familiar right now. Both of them were already pulled apart by teachers whenever we were able to see.

"Man, why did Genji have to go and say that about Kaito's mom?" said one of the students.

"I don't know, but I'm glad they were seperated before it got ugly." replied a female student.

"Alright boys and girls. Head to your classes. Nothing to see here." said one of the four or five professors present.

* * *

 _During Class_

 _Saika's POV:_

"I'm pretty sure, with this morning's commotion, none of you will even be remotely focused on your classwork. to today, I've decided to go over a popular topic that's seemed to have swept Japan in the recent decade."

Suddenly, Naro pulled out a deck of cards. All of them were dark blue. Twenty-two of them to be exact.

"These cards, are called Arcana. There's twenty-two of them, representing the life journey of man."

Something told me I should listen very attentively to this lecture.

"There's several minor arcana, but the main focus will be on the major ones. They are as follows..."

As he said the names of each one, he showed the class each of their respective cards.

"...Fool, Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers, Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star, Moon, Sun, Judgment and finally, the World."

This was a moment in the class where everyone was paying attention.

"The Arcana, if you're of the spiritual sort, is the means by which you can discern one's personal journey. It's a rather long lecture, so I'll paraphrase it to shorten it out. We'll start with..."

I wonder. Should I go to sleep? My eyes are rather tired...No. I should stay awake for this one.

"...The fool, represents one's beginning of a journey. This is where man starts to travel his road. Secondly, we have..."

His lecture went on for a long time. By the end of it, I felt myself grow a little more intelligent.

* * *

 _Lunchtime_

 _Saika's POV:_

I exited the cafeteria to try and go to the bathroom. Right as I turned around from the doors, I noticed Asuka coming up to me. What, is this gonna be a thing now?

"Hey! I noticed that, in homeroom, you were one of the few students awake during that lecture. You enjoyed it?" she asked me.

"Actually, I really did. I don't know why I did either."

"Maybe you're one of those spiritual people that Mr. Hiyo said?"

Maybe. I might be. I'll dive more into the Arcana later.

"Saika. I was wondering if you would sit with me in the courtyard after school? No particular reason. I just want to hang with you for a while."

Maybe I should consider hanging with her later. I think I will.

"Alright. Want me to just meet you there?" I ask her.

"Yeah. Thanks for this, Saika."

With that, Asuka walked off.

* * *

 _Afternoon_

 _Saika's POV:_

"We're going to start our year right! And by that logic, we have to start it with Algebra! The fun thing about math in general, is that the tried and true PEMDAS formula can be used to solve just about any mathematical problem. Even the ones you see here in Algebra." said Ms. Sturgowitz, writing a problem on the board.

The problem she wrote on the board seemed complicated at first, but it wasn't too bad. It was (2x - 4y = 9).

"Alright, class." began Kamina. "Is there anyone here that can figure this problem out? Even if you try it and get it wrong, I won't hold it against you."

"Ooh! Have my friend, miss encyclopedia over there do it!" said Asuka, pointing at me. I gave her that 'really man' look. Furthermore, when did she moved desks to be next to me?

"Good idea! I'm actually interested in seeing just how smart our foreign exchange student actually is too. Especially based on what I heard from Mr. Hiyo." said Kamina.

"Well, I mean...I _could_..." I began to say, trying to think of a reason as to not do it.

"She wouldn't be able to do it anyways. That thing in Mr. Hiyo's class was just a fluke anyways." said Karin with her condescending tone.

If that's what she thought, she was gonna hate me for this.

"You know what, I'll do it. You want to find the X or the Y, Ms. Sturgowitz?" I asked, standing up. The other students were busy 'ooooh'ing.

"Find the Y, Saika. I feel like you can do this with ease." she said.

I walked up to her and she handed me her chalk.

"Don't forget to show your work. Don't just write the answer." she said. I nodded, briefly read over the math problem and began.

2x + 4y = 9

-2x -2x

4y = 9 – 2x

/4 /4 /4

y = 2.25 – ½ x

y = -1/2 x

y = -1/2

I set the chalk down and turned towards Kamina to see if I was correct. She smiled at me.

"I see the rumors about how smart you were aren't exaggerated, huh? Brilliantly done, miss Saika!" she said, clasping her hands together.

"Wow. Saika really is smart, huh?" one of the classmates said. After that, everyone kept going on about how smart I was. Everyone except Shin and Karin, of course.

"You can go sit down now, Saika. Good job." said Kamina. Following her orders, I went to go back to my seat. Karin stopped me by grabbing the arm of my hoodie.

"Don't think this is over yet, transfer student." she said. Yuuto wasn't paying attention to what she was doing.

"If anyone is starting something, it's you." I replied, yanking myself free from her grasp. I then went to go sit down.

"Good job, Saika. I knew you could do it!" said Asuka.

"Thanks." I replied, still somewhat annoyed by what Karin just did.

Regardless, I felt my Intelligence and Charm increase a little today.

* * *

 _After School_

 _Saika's POV:_

I was walking down the hallway to head to the back courthouse of the school. Before I knew it, I heard someone calling me from behind me. I turned around and sure enough, Karin.

"Karin, can I ask you something?" I said as I walked up to her. She kept her arms folded while mine never left my hoodie pockets. "I may not be the easiest person to get along with, but what have I ever done to you?"

"That's a good question, transfer student. You really never did anything. It's something about you that I don't like. I don't know why myself. I just _do not like you_ , that's all there is to that."

"To hate someone just because..."

"Don't think just because Yuu may like hanging with you that Shin and I do, cause we don't. You'll do well to remember that."

"Whatever."

I turned around and started to walk away before something just came over me. I turned back around and got right in her face.

"Listen, Karin. I don't care whether you hate me or not. I didn't come here just to make friends with you. I'm trying to better my life, just like you should too. So, hate me all you want. I don't give a damn."

"Hey!"

Suddenly, Asuka ran up to us and started pulling me away from her.

"Karin, what's your problem?! Didn't your mom make you take those classes for a reason?"

When Asuka said that, it looked like Karin had seen a ghost before her face turned completely angry.

"Don't _**ever**_ put my parent's name in your mouth again, Asuka. So help me, if you do..."

"Karin...you weren't always this way. Why don't you talk with me sometime?" asked Asuka. I don't know what she meant by that.

"TCH! I don't need you're pity, four-eyes!" Yelled Karin before turning and storming away.

Asuka sighed before letting me go.

"Why didn't you tell me Karin was being this way towards you?" she asked me.

"I can take care of myself. Even if we eventually fought, I would've been fine." I replied.

"No, that's not what I meant." she began. "Come on, I'll explain it to you."

Asuka and I headed towards the courtyard behind the school, and sat on the bench that was under the tree. Everyone else, besides the teams at practice, had already gone home so we were alone.

"You see, Karin isn't actually mean. Sure, she's a class act, but she's actually one of the nicest people I know." said Asuka.

"Huh. Fooled me." I replied.

"I know, but listen. Something happened to her that made her this way. She's a brash personality, sure. She's blunt, sure. But, she cares for her friends. Anyone touches Yuuto or Shin and she's going for blood."

"Okay, that's good and all. But, how..."

"I know what you're thinking, Saika. Here's where it gets tricky. Something happened to her that gave her a sort of...narcissistic disorder. Every so often, she targets certain people who she feels will succeed in the points of her life that she failed at. It could be for any reason. But you, Saika...I don't know why this time."

I thought on it for a moment. I couldn't figure out what it was about what I'm doing right that she did wrong.

"Defend yourself, only if you have to. Other than that, please. Take it easy on Karin, okay?" she asked me.

"I'll try. No promises though." I replied.

"Thanks. Onto another subject..." she began, going back to her normal cheery self. "...How in the heck are you so smart like that?! First it was history, now it's math? Next thing you know, you're gonna be a science major!"

"Well, back in Saga, I had really high grades."

"Really? So, were you like, placed in all AP classes or something?" she asked me. I nodded.

"Math and History were the two subjects I excelled in. The rest weren't too bad, although they were the classes I had my B's in."

"That's still not so bad. Your studies were something you were able to take pride in though, right?" she asked me.

"Yeah. Isn't it the same way with your french?" I replied. She shook her head.

"Remember me saying I'm forced to learn it?" she said. I nodded. "I meant that in a literal sense. My parents want me to move to France when I graduate. They want me to be more diverse so I can bring more trade to the family, further granting more options to our legacy."

"Asuka, I didn't know..." I said. She smiled at me.

"It's fine. I'll live with it...regardless of how much I don't want to."

Even though she was smiling at me right then, I felt like it was a fake smile. I felt like she was really sad on the inside. Like, she couldn't control her own destiny. Through my thoughts, I felt like I understood her a bit better now.

That familiar glass shattering rang in my head again.

 _ **The Chariot Social Link has reached Level 2! Your Bond has grown!**_

"Thank you, Saika...for spending this time with me." she said, standing up. "Now, I gotta get back home before they start to worry about me. Au revior!"

She left. Then, I decided to head back home.

* * *

 _Evening_

 _Saika's POV:_

"Welcome home, cousin!" said Nanami as soon as I opened the doors. Kumo didn't give me any time to take my shoes off before he jumped up at me. I grabbed him and hugged him while he danced about in my arms.

"Kumo couldn't wait until you got back home. He's really attached to you for some reason." said Nanami.

"Oh yeah, there was something I wanted to ask you." I said.

Nanami stopped reading the newspaper she had in her hand to give me her full attention. I sat on the couch next to her. Kumo joined us.

"I saw something on the news channel you left the TV on this morning. It said something about details concerning a string of crimes that happened in the past. Was that part of..."

"Yeah, what I was supposed to be talking with you about." she replied. "You see, Kawakami is known for various things. Their dogs, like Kumo here. The lettuce it grows. The Chikuma River. But, there's one more thing it's known for."

"What is it?" I asked her.

"...The sacrificing."

"The what?"

She looked straight at me, with a more serious expression before continuing.

"A month or so before you came here last week, Kawakami was victim to a series of gruesome events. The perpetrators called them, 'The Sacrificing'. I don't know why they did it, but every Sunday morning, another person was found dead."

"So, the details that you all uncovered..."

She nodded, finishing my thought. "The perpetrators appear to be on the move again. We still don't know who they target, or why they target them. We just know the deaths happen sometime between Saturday evening and Sunday early morning. This took place every week, leading up to the week before you arrived. The deaths seemed to die down for the month of February."

"Man, that's a scary thought." I said. Even Kumo whined at the thought of it.

"So, I should tell you this Saika." she began. "Be careful. I don't want anything happening to you."

"Okay. I will." I replied.

"Oh!" said Nanami, as if remembering something. Her tone lightened too. "You have a note for you in your room. I didn't open it. It's on your bed."

"Ohh okay!"

As time passed, we ate dinner and chatted about random things. After this, I took Kumo to his room and returned to my own room.

* * *

 _Late Night:_

 _Saika's POV:_

After I got into my sleeping clothes, I picked the note up from my bed and sat down.

"Hmm...I wonder who it's from." I said. I looked at the front of it. All it said, was it was for me to read. The name on it was 'Omega', so I figured it had to be an alias for some reason.

"Who does that nowadays?" I said to myself, opening the letter.

What the hell? Is this some sick joke? Or is this from...no. He couldn't have...

My hands trembled with the note in them. My heart raced and my breathing accelerated and deepened.

"...I know where you are..."

* * *

 **Fun Fact: Mr. Hiyo was going to become the school principal, but changed his mind due to his fondness of history.**


End file.
